I test fired a SxS I picked up off the EE awhile back. The gun fires fine, but upon firing the left barrel, it's stiff to open. After firing the right barrel, It's quite stiff. I was shooting some low brass Winchester field loads with 1 ounce of shot. I didn't have any high brass stuff to try today so I might see if that might help any. I also don't know how much the gun has been fired in it's past life, but the wood has been re-varnished telling me it's been carried. If the gun has not fired, it opens smooth and locks up tight. After dropping in two shells and firing, it's still tight, just stiff to break open. The lever operates as normal. I've never experianced this problem before and by all rights I can live with it, but if there's anything I can do to fix it I'm all ears. Thanks all.
SxS 12 gauge help.
- Thread starter pharaoh2
- Start date
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
This is very basic and I assume that you know that when the gun is fired and opened that is when the hammers are re cocked. That will lead to some resistance when opening the gun. This seems to be it when you say that when its not fired it opens smoothly. What make and model is it?
regards Darryl
regards Darryl
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
Well that would eliminate firing pin drag and hammer spring resistance. Sounds like firing the round causes some frame/ barrel shift? AYA shotguns range from average quality to superb quality. Do the fired cartridges extract with out any stickiness?
Darryl
Darryl
Not as much of a mystery as you would think!
Sounds like 1 of 3 problems. 1st is that the firing pins could be integral to the hammers and are still protruding slightly into the primers . It is caused by worn or bent cocking bars and is a gunsmith only fix. 2nd is that the gun has extractors not ejectors. As the gun is opened the extractors push the empties out of the chambers. In the case of your gun the chambers may be rough or pitted and the extractors are fighting to free them and push them out. You can polish the chambers yourself or get a gun plumber to do it. If you choose to polish the chambers yourself make sure you polish the extractors at the same time, seated into the barrels or you will open up a whole new kettle of fish. 3rd is like the first, gunsmith only. The top lever is worn where it engages the locking block. In this case the locking block is still slightly engaged with the lugs on the receiver and when you try to open it you have to cam the two apart by force. That may not seam logical as one would assume that it would do that when opened without with out firing live rounds but trust me after the gun has fired live rounds everything in the locking system tightens up and the rules change. Rod
Sounds like 1 of 3 problems. 1st is that the firing pins could be integral to the hammers and are still protruding slightly into the primers . It is caused by worn or bent cocking bars and is a gunsmith only fix. 2nd is that the gun has extractors not ejectors. As the gun is opened the extractors push the empties out of the chambers. In the case of your gun the chambers may be rough or pitted and the extractors are fighting to free them and push them out. You can polish the chambers yourself or get a gun plumber to do it. If you choose to polish the chambers yourself make sure you polish the extractors at the same time, seated into the barrels or you will open up a whole new kettle of fish. 3rd is like the first, gunsmith only. The top lever is worn where it engages the locking block. In this case the locking block is still slightly engaged with the lugs on the receiver and when you try to open it you have to cam the two apart by force. That may not seam logical as one would assume that it would do that when opened without with out firing live rounds but trust me after the gun has fired live rounds everything in the locking system tightens up and the rules change. Rod
Now that think about it, the primers did seem to have drag marks in them, but I didn't think anything of it at the time. I think you nailed that one. Sounds like I might have to run her up to the city to have that checked out, thanks. 
One other thing you could try if you are handy. Make sure the gun is cocked and then remove the barrels and forearm. Next remove the butt stock. You will be able to tell right away if the firing pins are on the hammers or in the standing breach. If they are in the standing breach take a screwdriver and push the pins forward with a good deal of force. What you are checking for is to see if the pins are sticking in the forward position. If they are it will be one of three problems. 1: the standing breach could be primer peened which closes off the firing pin hole and holds the pin forward. 2: the firing pin itself could be expanded from use which will also hold it forward on firing. 3: the firing pin return springs could be broken and bunched up which also causes the same problem. This is a long shot because it normally causes misfires as well and that’s why I never mentioned it earlier. But, it just dawned on me that you just bought the gun so it may be misfiring as well and you just haven’t shot it enough for this problem to crop up. At any rate curing these problems will require a gunsmith. Pins and springs are no longer available and would have to be made from scratch. But at least you will know what the problem is. Rod
